site.btaSofia Mayor Terziev Prioritizes Security of Citizens

The security of the citizens is the most important priority, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev said on Thursday at a briefing at the Sofia Municipal Council.

The Council held an extraordinary meeting on security. It was attended by Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior Zhivko Kotsev, head of the Sofia Directorate of the Interior Lyubomir Nikolov, and Chair of the State Agency for Refugees under the Council of Ministers Mariana Tosheva. They spoke about the measures taken following the cases of violence in Sofia.

Terziev assured that together with the Sofia Directorate of the Interior, the Municipality will develop a strategy for the security problems, in which the district mayors will also participate.

He appealed not to politicize the issue unnecessarily and not to promote attitudes against different ethnic groups.

Hristo Koparanov, municipal councillor from Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, said during the meeting that there are 3,800 cameras in the city, a very large part of them have not been working for more than 10 months, and they are currently being repaired.

"We are relocating persons housed in the reception centre in Ovcha Kupel to other centres. The first group of 30 people was moved this morning,” the Agency's chair Mariana Tosheva told a briefing at the Sofia Municipality building. “I declare responsibly that there is no migration pressure,” Tosheva said. In her words, there is an increased police presence not only around the registration and reception centre in Ovcha Kupel, but also at the other centres.

There are currently 413 people in the centre in Ovcha Kupel, including 128 children. These are unaccompanied minors who are placed in the safe zone, which has additional security and a pass-through regime, Tosheva explained. According to her, the people staying in these centres have been screened twice and are legal residents.

To date, there is 42% occupancy of the centres, people stay in them between three and six months, which means that there is a constant occupancy rate of 30-40%, Tosheva added.

“We have a problem with the software of the cameras of Sofia Municipality, but this thing will be fixed as soon as possible, according to the assurance of Mayor Terziev,” Chief Commissioner Nikolov told journalists.

In his words, there is an increased police presence around the places where the migrants are accommodated, and the option of the Interior Ministry taking over the security of these centres is being considered. With changes in some laws, another 266 officers will be appointed to take over the security of these places, Nikolov explained.

He pointed out that the capital's citizens and visitors feel uneasy when they see officers with "long guns" walking along pedestrian areas where there is a concentration of mostly visitors. We have accepted their suggestion and officers with such weapons will be withdrawn from this central area, Nikolov added. These officers will be reassigned to the outskirts to keep at bay serious criminal contingent or persons who are preparing to commit serious crimes, he explained.